Many of us lie awake at night wondering when sleep will come. Others fall asleep quickly only to awaken in the wee hours. Whatever the scenario, most adults have experienced difficulty getting a full, restful night's sleep.

Insufficient sleep is linked to chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Alternatively, sufficient sleep is increasingly recognized as an important part of chronic disease prevention and health and wellness promotion. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Jumping onto the scale will tell you how much you weight, but nothing more. Knowing where you fall on the body mass index (BMI), however, can serve as an excellent reference point for determining a healthy weight for one's height.